Hyundai’s 2022 Veloster N is the company’s high performance three door compact hatchback that has no rivals in its price range.
The Veloster N is a pocket rocket with its 275-hp turbo 4-cylinder engine. And in compact form, it appears it’s a car for the young and young at heart that can be rally raced with its inherent suspension and instrumentation.
Discounting the hatch portion of the car, it really has a third door on the rear passenger side with a vertical handle. Even as such, Veloster takes on a coupe-like look with its sloping roofline and low ride height. Added to that are the large front air vents intended to aid in cooling the large brakes, a 2-stage rear spoiler and large exhaust tips, all of which makes for a sporty, aero design. The total effect gives the appearance Veloster is going 60 mph standing still.
The sport look follows through to the interior that has super supportive Recaro-like front seats that are covered in a combination of leatherette and colorful cloth trim. A leather wrapped steering wheel performs a myriad of other functions with its switches like selecting drive modes of Sport, Eco, Normal and sub modes of Sport N and N Custom – both N’s are for drivers who want to select their own settings. Sport modes adjust steering effort, transmission shift logic and engine rpm’s that increases about 500 rpms.
Veloster also has Launch Control that is selected under the Performance Options settings. With it comes Lap Times and G-Force numbers on the gauge cluster and others like rev matching and exhaust sound settings are also included.
The nicely arranged vertical stack houses an 8-inch touchscreen that serves the gamut of satellite radio, climate selections, navigation, rearview camera along with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto connectivity plus compatibility with Amazon Alexa and smart watches.
HVAC controls are large and easy to view and use without having to study the owner’s manual.
Paddle shifters adorn the steering wheel for those who want to shift for themselves and racy aluminum pedals add an extra touch of sportiness to the interior.
The back seat is tight and a squeeze and a head duck to get into because of the sloping roofline. And if the front seats are racked well rearward, leg room is scant and then only for small youngsters.
Back in the trunk that’s rated at 19.9 cubic feet and measures 30 inches deep, it expands to 44.5 cubic feet for 60 inches of loading depth. The underfloor houses a tire inflator kit and tire changing tools plus a two-partition hard foam bin for small item storage.
As mentioned, Veloster gets it grunt from a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline 4-cylinder that generates 275-hp and 260 lb/ft of torque that when coupled to the 8-speed, wet dual clutch automatic transmission, earns EPA mileage estimates of 20 city, 27-highway mpg. A 6-speed manual trans is also offered. But why? Under full throttle, the auto trans shifts super quick and sounds like an Indy car shifting gears. And when the turbo kicks in, the torso gets pushed back in the seat. Then there’s also the sound from the exhaust tips that is ever so sweet.
As for the trans, its NGS system automatically shifts to the lowest attainable gear and downshifts when descending a grade.
Veloster was equipped with steering assist that when engaged, keeps the car between the road lines.
Driving the Veloster is a kick. It handles like a true sports car and torque steer is tamed somewhat with a limited slip differential. It remains planted in sharp turns but the ride is stiff on Pirelli 19-inch tires as the suspension allows every road imperfection to be felt. Consider too that it’s a short wheelbase, front drive car and most short cars exhibit a firm ride.
Veloster began life priced at $34,000 with the only “extra” being delivery of $1,005 that took the bottom line to $35,005. For that buyers get a long list of features such as forward collision avoidance, blind spot collision warning, automatic braking, lane keeping/following assist, rear cross traffic alert, Hyundai Blue Line connect and many more.
And as with all Hyundai vehicles, Veloster comes with a generous 5 year, 60K new vehicle warranty; 10/100K powertrain; 7/Unlimited anti-perforation; and 3/36K complimentary maintenance.
The only thing that could make Veloster better is if it were offered with AWD. Otherwise it’s a sporty choice for those seeking a reasonably priced performance car.
